Podcast·1 min read

Alice Waters on Why Profit Was Never the Point

May 7, 2025

Alice Waters never cared about making money. After more than 50 years in business, she still doesn’t. Her friends and family helped her open her restaurant, Chez Panisse, with no expectations of ever seeing their money again. It’s no surprise, given she’s sparked a slow food revolution where resisting the industrial food system is the name of the game. Some call her “idealistic” with disdain. Alice says: it’s just the way things ought to be. 

In this episode of 9 to 5ish, Alice shares: 

  • The visit to a certain European country that changed the trajectory of her life 

  • How disrupting the traditional hierarchy of kitchens kept Chez Panisse alive

  • Why she doesn’t care about money – and when she maybe should’ve 

  • The last thing her mom said to her, and how having supportive parents shaped her career

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